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Pastor and record executive John P. Kee and business partner Regi Miner say they are preparing to make an offer to the owners of the Charlotte Hornets to keep the Hornets in Charlotte.

“Losing the franchise of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets will be an economic jolt to Charlotte’s economy,” said Kee.

Kee is the pastor of the New Life Fellowship Center in Charlotte. He is also a record executive for a major New York based record label. Negotiations are under way and are being held by Manhattan lawyer, Max Siegal.

Looks like a non-event given that the article was posted yesterday but no follow-up today. Might just be an opportunity to get his name in the paper or perhaps this is the "group" we heard about. Here's some info on John P. Kee: http://www.johnpkee.com/main1.html

Originally posted by GDAWG Why do people want to buy the Hornets when the owners have said that the team is not for sale and that they are headed to New Orleans?

The team is always for sale. Especially given the low ticket sales in New Orleans. Saying the team is not for sale is the owners way of providing confidence to the NO community. If you really believe they wouldnt sell if given a great offer, then you would be mistaken.

In the last paragraph of the news story, they would have you believe that Shinn and Wooldridge are sitting down "negotiating" with them. Why don't they just say they will make an offer? Typical Charlotte Absurder spin.

Originally posted by Harvey Hornet In the last paragraph of the news story, they would have you believe that Shinn and Wooldridge are sitting down "negotiating" with them. Why don't they just say they will make an offer? Typical Charlotte Absurder spin.

As opposed to the Hornets officials saying yesterday that they were confident they would meet the ticket sales numbers

As opposed to the Hornets officials saying yesterday that they were confident they would meet the ticket sales numbers

If they are going with the 8K number, I think that statement is much more believable than the Absurder spin. Negotiations are two people working together. Unless something has changed drastically, it sounds like Pastor Savoir is working on his own deal and will take his best shot like Johnson did and get shot down.

Here is a question for you. Why are these people making offers when it is such a foregone conclusion in CLT that the league will turn down the relocation? All these potential owners need to do is collude with the league and when the relocation is denied, the NBA will choose the ownership team it wants. Right?

Are you smoking crack or something? Who said it was a forgone conclusion?

Everyone in CLT says the league is going to block the move. Stern got you to approve the arena deal and you got an owner, now it is academic. The NBA is going to work the behind the scenes magic I keep hearing about espcially since one of the potential owner is black and the other is a man of the bible.

Everyone in CLT says the league is going to block the move. Stern got you to approve the arena deal and you got an owner, now it is academic. The NBA is going to work the behind the scenes magic I keep hearing about espcially since one of the potential owner is black and the other is a man of the bible.

Hmm, I'm in CLT so that must not be everyone. But I appreciate you speaking for Charlotte anyway

As to this ownership group, or any other for that matter, here is the only plausible possibility I see of a sale to Charlotte.

The owners continue their ticket drive in New Orleans this week. At some point this week, but in no case later than Friday, 3/15, if the owners decide that the numbers are not what they had hoped for, CONTRARY to what they have said in public, then they could conceivably back out of the La. deal and sell to whomever they may wish in Charlotte or wherever. Of course, that assumes that any potential buyer would offer the owners enough money to counter-balance any potential profit that they could and would make in NOLA starting in the 2002-2003 NBA season.

3/15 is the date. I doubt the owners are going to sell now, but, admittedly, it is not impossible. However, if the owners do not sell by 3/15, then I would hope that this talk of potential owner groups would die down. After 3/15, the possibility of a voluntary sale is almost non-existent. Prior to 3/15 it is highly unlikely due to all the efforts the Hornets have put into the region. Plus, we already know that the Hornets are about to announce major corporate sponsorships, radio and tv rights, and the lease agreement with the N.O. Arena (this means contracts signed, which will be legally enforceable). This suggests to me that the deal is sealed, with the only likely ESCAPE (clause in each contract) being if the NBA does not approve the move. An ownership group taking all of these steps in the here and now doesn't look like they want to sell.

BUT, I'll give you Charlotte guys to the end of the week. If you don't pull it off, say goodbye!

Hmm, I'm in CLT so that must not be everyone. But I appreciate you speaking for Charlotte anyway

Sorry Izzy. You are right. I promised that I would try to not stereotype. I have just heard that arguement so many times, I tend to lump it into the mindset of everyone in CLT. You have been a very good poster here. Did not mean to stereotype you. I guess my point was supposed to be that there must be some acknowledgement in CLT that the league will approve. If not, the potential owners would simply idnetify themselves to the league and say" here I am, when you turn them down I have my 200M ready to go." There seems to be an urgency to pique Goerge and Ray's interest in an amicalbe sale. As I have contended all along, if Ray and Geroge don't sell, the Hornets will be in New Orleans.

Sorry Izzy. You are right. I promised that I would try to not stereotype. I have just heard that arguement so many times, I tend to lump it into the mindset of everyone in CLT. You have been a very good poster here. Did not mean to stereotype you. I guess my point was supposed to be that there must be some acknowledgement in CLT that the league will approve. If not, the potential owners would simply idnetify themselves to the league and say" here I am, when you turn them down I have my 200M ready to go." There seems to be an urgency to pique Goerge and Ray's interest in an amicalbe sale. As I have contended all along, if Ray and Geroge don't sell, the Hornets will be in New Orleans.

I'm not sure about the prospective owner, but Bob Johnson was/is serious about buying the Hornets. He isnt doing it to make the NBA deny the move, he's doing it because he wants to own the team. There isnt anything wrong with making an offer to buy the team.

Izzy, if the owners decide to sell to Mr. Johnson, or anyone else who wants to keep the team in CLT, on or before 3/15, we will understand. We won't be happy about it, but we will understand. What we might ask of you guys, though, is do you think that the owners will voluntarily sell, meaning that they pull out of NOLA on or before 3/15. My guess, shared with my fellow New Orleanians, is no. What do y'all think?

I think everyone agrees that the owners cannot be forced to sell. That being said, what would be the result of denying the relocation. FORCED SALE. This is the kind of thinking that perplexes me. If they deny, they deny the chance to be profitable in New Orleans. If they deny, CLT has already showed the league that they will not support these men. They must approve. CLT's only chance is an amicable sale. Stern has already said the league will not force them to sell.

Originally posted by Harvey Hornet I think everyone agrees that the owners cannot be forced to sell. That being said, what would be the result of denying the relocation. FORCED SALE. This is the kind of thinking that perplexes me. If they deny, they deny the chance to be profitable in New Orleans. If they deny, CLT has already showed the league that they will not support these men. They must approve. CLT's only chance is an amicable sale. Stern has already said the league will not force them to sell.

I think you are mistaken when you say they would be denying a chance at profitablity in NO. The NBA does not make their decision on how much profit the owners make. Thats not the true factor of success. The NBA cares about the long-term profitabilty of the NBA in NO. There's a distinction there. Sure, the owners will make money for the first couple of years in NO, but thats really a not a major issue for the NBA.

That's good news, even though I don't know who he is. New Orleans was saying that no one would buy the Hornets and risk losing all that money from givimg up the first 50 million from naming, pouring rights. Wooldridge said no one would accept the lease in Charlotte-Well that's at least 2 people who think the lease is workable and want to keep the team in Charlotte. This going to be a fun month- This time next month (unless the NBA delays it for some reason- I doubt that happens though) we will have our answer.

With the third pick in the 2006 NBA Draft the Charlotte Bobcats select Rudy Gay..........

From a New Orleans perspective, I feel as confident now than I have since the beginning. There is nothing wrong with the ticket sales whatsoever. I believe Snowlaw when he says the suite sales and financial package is what will be bringing the Hornets to New Orleans. I'm not concerned about anybody outside of New Orleans doing anything that will prevent them from coming. Too much support coming from our side to just toss aside. The tickets sales are not "dismal", they're INCREDIBLE given any circumstances and there's no way the NBA doesn't see that.

I also draw a lot of confidence from what I read quoted by Gov. Foster's assistant Steven Perry saying when the relo committee comes to New Orleans "we're going to blow them away". Anyone, anywhere can see we can support the NBA. The only way they can't is because they don't want to see it. But we can't help that. I can't see us not getting this team. Great job New Orleans.

THIS IS THE REAL DEAL!

There is much more that Ray & Shinn aren't telling us, for a good reason. That is that they have more ticket sales then advertised, trust me when I say this. My insiders tell me that the deal is done no matter what happens, simply because of CLT's unwillinginess to make this an easy decision for the NBA. Of course CLT would still make sense to everyone with the already financially stable situation there not saying that here in New Orleans we couldn't top CLT with support and a questionable economic future, BUT CLT has done themselves in by consistantly screwing with the NBA and the owners of the team with this arena deal. My peers in the field tell me that the numbers are much better then being advertised due to the psychology of selling tickets, meaning that when the governor of La. says they will blow Mr. Stern away with there numbers of ticket sales they will have an unexpected number that will, if I can quote Ali, "Shock the world". The real deal is don't expect the real numbers until Mr. Stern and the other owners come to town for a serious tour of not only just doing their part in this, but to also be introduced to bringing the all-star game to New Orleans on a regular. And let me just say this, David Stern does not always acompany these owners on these trips during a relocation decision. Just the latest news and how I am hearing it. More of the inside info later on how this saga will play it self out.:1pwink:

Originally posted by RENFO Thanks, N.O. HornetsFan for that precious piece of info. Keep us in the know!

Yes. That would be great news for CLT if they are holding back ticket sales numbers. Nothing like lying to try to impress the NBA. That will go over so well with David Stern. Thanks for keeping us in the know

Yes. That would be great news for CLT if they are holding back ticket sales numbers. Nothing like lying to try to impress the NBA. That will go over so well with David Stern. Thanks for keeping us in the know

What a joke! A Charlottean talking about upsetting the NBA! Do you think when you walk into an empty Charlotte Coliseum and they announce a crowd of 10,000 that they are telling the truth? You are really grasping at straws if that is your hope.

Originally posted by HORNETSFAN
What a joke! A Charlottean talking about upsetting the NBA! Do you think when you walk into an empty Charlotte Coliseum and they announce a crowd of 10,000 that they are telling the truth? You are really grasping at straws if that is your hope.

Apparently you know nothing about how attendance is figured. So I would not waste my time answering that.

Apparently you know nothing about how attendance is figured. So I would not waste my time answering that.

I do know how attendance is figured. Maybe that is why you are not used to the way sales are figured in this scenario down here. The numbers released are ONLY those for which "money is in the bank." You are the one grasping at straws hoping Stern will get mad! Wait, maybe Stern is working behind the scenes with the owners to purposely under report sales numbers so that the owners will have a reason to sell to a minority owner and a gospel singer in order to keep the team in the #1 professional sports city in the entire world, of course. Yeah, I am sure that is it!

Everyone in CLT says the league is going to block the move. Stern got you to approve the arena deal and you got an owner, now it is academic. The NBA is going to work the behind the scenes magic I keep hearing about espcially since one of the potential owner is black and the other is a man of the bible.

I am from CLT and I have not said that the league would block the move, so please don't make blanket statements like that. I think that I have been pretty realistic about our prospects of keeping the team (not good), but I also don't buy into the logic that they are coming to NOLA no matter what.

If you guys meet the goals, I think the team is yours. If you don't meet the goals, I think that it is anybody's guess at what actually happens. There is alot of the story that is unwritten at this point and we have about four weeks for the story to be told.